The Federal High Court in Abuja declined the Federal Government’s request for an arrest warrant against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Monday, June 26th. The suspended senator, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was due for arraignment on charges of defamation, but failed to appear in court. The presiding judge, Justice Muhammed Umar, ruled against the warrant application, emphasizing that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan could not be expected to attend court without prior service of the charges or a hearing notice. While the prosecution, led by David Kaswe, argued that service upon her lawyer earlier that morning sufficed, the judge deemed this inadequate. Acknowledging the need for proper notification, the court granted the prosecution’s subsequent application for substituted service through her counsel, Johnson Usman, and scheduled the arraignment for June 30th.
The defamation charges, filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, stem from allegations made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program on April 3, 2025. The charges, which name Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello as nominal complainants, accuse the senator of making defamatory statements against both individuals. Central to the allegations are claims that Bello and Akpabio conspired to orchestrate her assassination, disguised as a local attack, after the Senate President withdrew her security detail. The government contends that these statements were made knowingly or recklessly, with full awareness of their potential to damage the reputations of Akpabio and Bello.
The prosecution pointed to specific statements made during the television broadcast as evidence of defamation. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is quoted as questioning the Senate President’s motives for withdrawing her security, suggesting it was intended to make her vulnerable to attack. She further alleged a meeting between Akpabio and Bello where her assassination was planned, emphasizing her need to stay alive to seek justice. The charge sheet also includes her statement, “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasized that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.” The prosecution argues this directly implicates Bello in the alleged assassination plot.
Beyond the television broadcast, the senator faces further accusations of making defamatory remarks against Senate President Akpabio during a phone conversation on March 27, 2025, with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja. In this conversation, she allegedly linked Akpabio to the murder of Iniubong Umoren, claiming that the victim’s organs were harvested for Akpabio’s ailing wife. The prosecution contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or should have known that such a statement would harm Akpabio’s reputation. The gravity of these accusations, linking Akpabio to both a planned assassination and organ harvesting, underscores the seriousness of the defamation charges.
The court’s decision to deny the arrest warrant highlights the importance of due process in legal proceedings. Justice Umar’s insistence on proper service of the charges before demanding the senator’s presence reinforces the principle that individuals must be adequately informed of the charges against them before being compelled to appear in court. This procedural safeguard ensures fairness and prevents undue prejudice to the accused. The subsequent granting of the substituted service application demonstrates the court’s commitment to facilitating the legal process while upholding the rights of the defendant.
This case, involving prominent political figures and serious allegations, carries significant public interest. The accusation of a conspiracy to assassinate a sitting senator, intertwined with claims of organ harvesting, raises serious questions about political rivalries and the potential abuse of power. As the legal proceedings unfold, the evidence presented and the court’s judgment will have significant implications for the individuals involved and the broader political landscape. The scheduled arraignment on June 30th marks the next crucial step in this legal battle, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan will formally respond to the charges against her and the legal process will move forward. The Senate President, Bello, and four other individuals have been listed as witnesses for the trial, suggesting a complex legal battle ahead.
